The Dillon tribune., 1887-08-12
THE SUMMERS WORK.

the male part Of them, and the women.
folks have right s,nait' 70 do to keep
the hunger appeas-d OF numb,r'e>s hungry
men: but there is an odd one here and
there. who is not Of much force out doors
or in, 90 such an one can record the 'loinss
OF others, il good Tor nothing else.
The bosses have been looking rather
suky at the rain which has persisted in
coming down every nov and then, ire.
spectve Of the cut hay, an, the men have
kept them company As the thought OF so
much ''iost t,Sc' has entered into their
minds; but today the sun is shining, so all
are happy once more.
The Younger portion Of the community
have been indulyiny in fishing and goose.
berry parties as sort of break 10
the weeks work: while We older ones
take an carly ride to the hay field and from
there wander off TO the creek, to see what
can be found in the way of birds. berries
and flowers: rs we ride along beside 4
fence, one SAYS. what a lot of knots on
that roc..' And 10 the unni,iated they do
look like knots as they are exactly of the
same color, 4 sort Of mixed drab, but they
are the pretty nightha~ks taking their
maps in the sun !,;nc, sitting straight way
Of the pole, (the only bird that I know Of
that sits that way> then when the clouds or
evening come ut they sail for their daily
supply Of insects; when tlyin. one can see
bars Of white on their wings and they
| have 4 peculiar cry or cal,no BY which
one can easily distinguish them from tie
real hawks; these are not birds OF prey any
more than the swallows are. which they
resemble in their flight.
! As We wander in and out amongst the
! willows. We come across a quiet nook
where there is a deep poo! OF water, and
in The center Of it there is lone bittern
blinking his eyes at us he is not max in.
his musical boom now as it is too late in
the day for that tor he is very early riser
and also sits up late, as it is only early
and late that he makes the music that
las given him the name ot"thunder bird;
but while we are taking items he is up and
away for fresh fields and pastures new;
| their co!ors arc u beautiful golden brown
on the upper parts, but more mixed with
| white on the under side, with small
, patch OF black on each side OF their nccks,
bill twice as long as their head, colors
black and yellow, legs greer, tail rather
short SO that us they sit on the water they
look rather ounchy.
| All OF the smaller birds are on domestic
duties intent, SO one can only catch
glimpse of one here and there, but the
! blacAbird> with their young ones following
them up and down and chattering tor
more food make noise enough.
; little humminy bird comes into the
home garden and helps himself to sweet.
, williams, marigolds and yeraniu,ns; when
he sees a human being uear he balances
himself in the air for about Il minute, then,
il all is quiet, he proceeds To his work, but
he is SO very quick that one can hardly
| tell what he is like. only we are certain
there is green Oh his neck, and his back is
O'oWH Will lUISC Ol puTplc
The flowers are not at their best as )unc
is their month, as we'll Us the best month
for seeing birds; but amongst those that
we gather is large cluster Of yellow
flowers (name unknown) and Il bit OF blue
larkspur, purple daisies and here and there
clover blossom, lett just Tor fragrance,
then the yarrow blossoms the whole sum.
n'sr, SO furnishes good white flower, and
for bit OF red will take the seed pods of
tho narrow dock, as lovely a bit of color as
one could wish for, then the grasses are in
all their beauty, with the sunflowcrs here
and there; but under our feet we arc crush.
ins The mint, a handful OF that must be
gathered Tor winter use, Tor the good old
grandmo,hcr'> remedy for Il cold was al.
ways herb tea; and whoever was fortunate
enough I" have read "The Wide, Wide
World" in their early days will remember
how Aunt Fortune had the sraceless Nan.
cy make her some catnip tea, and as it was
Mans first effort in that line, She only put
in Il pinch.
boo>cherrics are scarce in this section
this year, so the good housewife has to fall
back ON the home garden for curran.> and
Strawberries, and near to these are
plentiful supply of peas, new potatoes,
greens, lettuce, bcets and turnipS, but string
beans, melons and cucumbers ac only in
ones minds eye, rs the Montana climate
"retuses to be sacrificed" to such indirc>t;
BILE stuff.
The dinner hour approaches and the